1st Congressional District

Democrats hold big cash advantages in federal races

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While Democrats led the way in fundraising in the latest quarter, federal campaign finance reports filed Monday show, one candidate considerably outraised the rest. NM Political Report first reported that Xochitl Torres Small, a Democrat seeking the 2nd Congressional District seat, raised over $1.9 million yesterday. Her fundraising total was $650,000 more than all three candidates for U.S. Senate combined raised in that same time period. Torres Small spent over $1.3 million and finished with $1.1 million cash on hand for the final few weeks of the race. Her opponent, Republican State Rep. Yvette Herrell, raised $564,000 and spent $245,000, leaving her with $419,000 cash on hand for the final stretch.

2018 elections

On the (hiking) trail with Heinrich

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Last weekend, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and his wife Julie pulled up to an Albuquerque trailhead and were greeted by a group of eager supporters with hiking poles and hydration packs at the ready. Almost immediately, Heinrich became an impromptu trail guide, educating his constituents on the different native plants along the trail and which animals use them as food sources. At least twice, unsuspecting hikers recognized the affable sportsman who has worked in Washington, D.C. since 2009. One family hiking towards the top of the trail passed the Heinrich entourage on its way back to the trail head. As the two groups converged, one woman looked at Heinrich and asked, “Is it really you?

2018 elections

Candidate Q&A: Martin Heinrich, U.S. Senate candidate

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Editor’s note: This week, NM Political Report will publish Q&As with candidates for U.S. House, U.S. Senate and governor about their policy platforms regarding a range of topics, including abortion, contraception, LGBTQ issues and domestic violence. For links to all of our stories, see here. 

The following is from a Q&A with Martin Heinrich, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate and incumbent. NMPR: If re-elected, how will your beliefs about the separation between government and religion guide your work in the U.S. Senate? Martin Heinrich: I think what you can expect is for my votes and positions that I take in the Senate to be very consistent with the way I’ve voted in the past. I think I’ve got a good body of evidence over time that says I respect people to make their own decisions in their personal lives, and that it’s not the role of government to become intricately involved in those decisions.

2018 elections

Candidate Q&A: Gary Johnson, U.S. Senate candidate

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Editor’s note: This week, NM Political Report will publish Q&As with candidates for U.S. House, U.S. Senate and governor about their policy platforms regarding a range of topics, including abortion, contraception, LGBTQ issues and domestic violence. For links to all of our stories, see here. 

The following is from a Q&A with Gary Johnson, the Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate. NMPR: If elected, how will your beliefs about the separation between government and religion guide your work in the U.S. Senate? Gary Johnson: Well, that they should be separate, period. They have to be, and that’s of course Constitutional.

News

NM Libertarian Party picks Gary Johnson as US Senate nominee

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The Libertarian Party of New Mexico chose a replacement for the party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate race on Saturday. But their choice, former Republican Governor and two-time Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson still has not decided whether he will accept the offer. In a statement, Johnson repeated his previous remarks, saying he wants to see if he has a chance at winning. “A major factor is, simply, whether I can win,” Johnson said. “When I set out to summit Mt.

News

Dunn out of Senate race, Johnson hints at taking his place

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A candidate switch-up is likely in the works for the Libertarian Party of New Mexico’s run for the U.S. Senate. Libertarian Senate candidate Aubrey Dunn announced Monday that will exit the race and asked high-profile Libertarian Gary Johnson to take his place. In a press release, Dunn said he wants to devote more time to his current role as State Land Commissioner. Now the question is whether Johnson, a former Republican governor and Libertarian presidential candidate, will take his place. If Johnson decides to run for Senate, it would create a considerable shake-up in the three-way race between Republican Mick Rich and Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich.

2018 U.S. Senate

Johnson weighing Senate run, as Dunn poised to drop out

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Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Aubrey Dunn is set to drop out of his race and a high-profile Libertarian is considering taking his place. Dunn’s son and Libertarian candidate for New Mexico Attorney General Blair Dunn confirmed that Aubrey Dunn, the state land commissioner, is dropping out of the race and will release more information next week. Former Republican governor and 2016 Libertarian candidate for president Gary Johnson is considering taking Aubrey Dunn’s place, according to his former campaign manager, Ron Nielson. Nielson told NM Political Report on Friday that Johnson was “weighing it out” and would decide to run if he determines it’s a winnable race. Earlier this week, Nielson’s media company, The Jack News, published an interview between Nielson and Johnson in which the former two-term governor hinted at getting back into politics, despite his previous statements that he was done running for office.

2018 elections

ABQ contractor aims to take on Heinrich for Senate

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There’s still more than a year until New Mexicans vote in the primary election and general election for the U.S. Senate, but one local commercial building contractor said he’s already prepared to take on incumbent Democrat Martin Heinrich. Mick Rich, owner of Mick Rich Contractors, said his plans for the Senate don’t go past two terms, or 12 years. “I am not moving to D.C.,” Rich told NM Political Report. “I want to make it clear, two terms and I’m done.”

A registered Republican, Rich speaks highly of former Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici and said the six-term senator’s career is a “great road map” for serving New Mexico. “He made sure that our labs and bases had a mission,” Rich said.